Design of a Solar-Powered Robotic System for Reaching and Grasping Assistance

This article presents the innovative electromechanical design and analysis of a solar-powered robotic assistive system for reaching and grasping assistance of weak and disabled people. The design consisted of an innovative gripping mechanism at the top (upper end) of the assistive device. The bottom (lower end) of the device consisted of a haptic knob (potentiometer), a solar panel, and the Arduino-based control board. The opening and closing of the gripper were actuated by a servomotor, which was controlled by the user via the potentiometer. The device was lightweight to make it user-friendly and ergonomic. It was designed to be solar-powered to make it usable in remote areas lacking electricity as well as to make it cost-effective. The device was sufficiently long but lightweight so it would be feasible to grasp objects from a comparatively distant location. The design was analyzed for its static characteristics in a simulation study based on a CAD model. Then, a proof-of-concept prototype was built and experimentally tested. The simulation results showed satisfactory static characteristics in terms of stress and strain tolerances of the design for normal load maneuvering. The experimental test results proved the effectiveness of the functionality of the novel gripping mechanism actuated by the servomotor and controlled haptically via the potentiometer as well as the suitability and user-friendliness of the device for its intended application. The design was innovative, and the preliminary results were very promising. The proposed assistive device can be very useful to augment the performance of weak and disabled people in reaching and grasping numerous household objects in their daily activities, and thus reduce their burdens and improve their quality of life (QoL).